• Controversial moment during live performance sparks debate over handling of cultural celebrations
• A widely shared clip prompts the artist to clarify her stance, stressing her reaction was unintentional

Global pop star Sabrina Carpenter has faced a wave of criticism on social media after a moment during her performance at the Coachella music festival in California, where she appeared to react dismissively to a fan’s “zaghroota” from the audience.

During one segment of the show, a fan let out a “zaghroota,” a well-known celebratory vocal expression in Arab culture used on occasions of joy such as weddings, graduations, and family celebrations. Carpenter, however, appeared unfamiliar with the expression and reacted in a way that some viewers interpreted as discomfort or mockery.

When the audience member indicated that the sound was part of her cultural expression, Carpenter responded by asking, “Is that your culture?” The fan clarified: “It’s a call of celebration.” Carpenter then replied, “Is this Burning Man? What’s going on? This is weird,” followed by, “I don’t like it.”

The exchange quickly went viral across social media platforms, with many users criticizing what they described as a dismissive reaction toward a cultural tradition, while others viewed it as a spontaneous misunderstanding in a live performance setting.

In a later statement, Carpenter addressed the controversy, explaining that her reaction came from confusion and mishearing what was happening on stage. She emphasized that there was no intention to offend, describing the moment as a spontaneous misunderstanding during the show.